Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam appointed the next chairman of G30

SINGAPORE - Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has been appointed the next chairman of the prestigious global body of top financial experts known as the Group of Thirty (G30). The Washington-based private group is made up of leading economists and policymakers from across the world, and seeks to deepen understanding of international economic and financial issues. Mr Tharman's term will begin on Jan 1, 2017 and run for five years, the G30 said in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 30). He succeeds outgoing chairman and former European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet. Mr Tharman, 59, is also Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He said of his appointment: "It will be a real privilege to succeed Jean-Claude Trichet, whose knowledge, wisdom and warmth have made him a role model for so many ...